Melon is like pineapple for the winter

Melon for the winter in jars like pineapple is a great way to preserve a healthy, aromatic vegetable, the season of which does not last long. The pulp, prepared according to simple recipes, retains most of its beneficial properties and surprises with its delicate taste. Homemade melon pieces and syrup are very reminiscent of store-bought canned pineapples. If desired, the subtle taste can be easily supplemented with spices.

Secrets of cooking melon like pineapple

The characteristic aroma and delicate taste of melon does not require the addition of other products when canning. Combining yellow fruits with fruits or berries can easily drown out their natural smell and delicate taste. Therefore, melon is most often prepared separately in jars.

When canned for the winter, melons go well with various spices. By adding cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, and cloves, you can get new shades of taste in familiar preparations.

General principles for preparing melon like pineapple for the winter in jars:

1. The quality of the starting products has a direct impact on the taste of the finished dessert. For winter preparations with pineapple flavor, only fully ripened melons are suitable: sweet, dense, without softened areas.Overripe specimens are left for other desserts that require a viscous consistency.
2. Varieties with large, elongated fruits (like “Torpedo”), when stored in jars, give the best taste. For desserts stored for the winter, it is often recommended to choose melons with orange flesh, as they are denser and hold their shape better when cooked. Such fruits are not suitable for a complete imitation of pineapple, although the taste is also difficult to distinguish when tasting.
3. Glass, metal utensils and all kitchen utensils that come into contact with food must be sterilized. It is convenient to disinfect jars in a hot oven or by pouring boiling water over them. Metal, plastic, glass lids are also sterilized.
4. The shelf life of preparations in jars depends on compliance with all stages of preparation, adherence to the proportions of recipes and the quality of preparation of raw materials.

For heat treatment, small jars are placed in a bowl with boiling water for 15 minutes, containers of about 1 liter capacity - for 20 minutes. Large glass cylinders (about 3 liters) are sterilized in about half an hour.

Melon recipes like pineapple for the winter

Before cooking, the melon should be thoroughly washed, peeled, cut, and seeds removed. To imitate pineapple and increase shelf life, recipes use acid (acetic, citric, citrus juice) and sugar. By changing the proportions of additional ingredients, the preparations are provided with different shades of taste.

The general principle for preparing melon for winter storage in jars is to boil the syrup and pour in the crushed fruit. The preparations differ both in the ratio of products and in the method of their heat treatment.

Simple recipe

The simplest recipe for preparing melon to obtain syrup and fruits similar to canned pineapples involves the following ingredients:

• melon weighing up to 3 kg;
• filtered water – 1 l;
• sugar – 500 g;
• citric acid – 10 g.

The ingredients of the recipe are simple, and any novice housewife can handle making the dessert. Cooking sequence:

1. Prepare a syrup from the entire amount of water and sugar: heat the mixture until it boils and completely dissolve the crystals, and then add the acid.
2. The processed melon is cut into cubes or slices and placed in sterile jars without compacting.
3. The containers are filled with hot syrup. In this case, the jars are filled 1.5-2 cm from the edge of the neck. The syrup should completely cover the pieces.
4. After placing the lids on the jars, pasteurize the preparations for at least 10 minutes.
5. After finishing the processing, the lids are immediately sealed tightly.

The jars are turned upside down and left to air cool. You can store the preserved food after it has cooled completely.

Without sterilization

Without additional heat treatment, it is also not difficult to get the taste of pineapple and preserve the melon for the winter. The difference between such a workpiece is in the conditions of its storage. The taste and aroma will be the same, only the infusion takes longer.

A quick recipe for preparing melon like pineapple for the winter:

• pieces of prepared melon – 500 g;
• drinking water – 1 l;
• juice of a small lemon;
• sugar – 250 g.

The chopped fruits are packaged in jars.Separately boil the syrup from sugar and water, adding lemon juice at the end. Pour boiling syrup over the melon and leave for 10 minutes. After the time has passed, the sweet filling is poured back into the pan and brought to a boil. After re-filling the pieces with syrup, the jars are immediately screwed tightly with sterile lids.

Canned food prepared by hot pouring should be turned over, placed on the lids, and wrapped warmly. As the canned food cools slowly, it self-sterilizes, which increases its shelf life in winter. You can put completely cooled jars into the pantry. The taste of pineapples will appear after a few days, when the melon pulp is completely saturated with syrup.

Spicy melon

An exotic spicy taste is imparted to canned food by adding alcohol and spices. A pineapple-flavored recipe typically uses port wine and spices used in sweet dishes.

Ingredients:

• melon pulp – 2 kg;
• water – 500 ml;
• vintage port - 300 ml;
• cloves – 2 buds;
• cinnamon (ground) – 1 tbsp. l.;
• vanillin (powder) – 1 g.

The melon for the recipe can be cut into balls using a special spoon. This dessert looks more impressive than when cut into cubes.

Further preparation:

1. Dissolve sugar in a saucepan with a measured amount of water over low heat. Add all the spices and cook after boiling for no longer than 2 minutes.
2. Pour melon balls into the syrup and pour in port wine.
3. Stop heating and let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes.
4. Using a slotted spoon, remove the balls from the syrup and place them in clean jars. Containers are not filled tightly.
5. The syrup is brought to a boil again and immediately poured into jars.

After sterilization, seal the original dessert for 20 minutes. Store spiced melon and pineapple flavored jars like regular canned foods.

With ginger

The melon and ginger recipe is not only similar to pineapple, but also has a sharp, fresh taste. With the same heat treatment, such canned food is stored better than others, due to the disinfecting properties of ginger.

Product ratio for 3 kg of pumpkin pulp without peel and seeds:

1. sugar – 150 g;
2. fresh ginger – 100 g;
3. citric acid – 0.5 tsp.

The amount of water for the recipe is determined during the pouring process. From these ingredients, about 5 liters of the finished product is obtained.

Preparing melon with ginger and pineapple flavor:

1. The melon pulp is cut into cubes. The ginger is peeled and cut into arbitrary slices.
2. Placement into sterile jars begins with ginger. Melon cubes are placed on top until the containers are filled up to their shoulders.
3. Add sugar and add citric acid. After this, boiling water is slowly poured into the jars until completely filled.
4. 10 minutes are enough for sterilization.

Sealed hot canned melon with ginger and pineapple flavor. Wait for the cans to cool and send them for storage. The warming, tonic effects of such a dessert are especially appropriate in winter.

With pineapple

Melon canned with pineapple pieces tastes even more like a tropical fruit. Prepared according to the recipe with table vinegar, it perfectly complements meat salads, is used as a separate appetizer, and can be added to desserts.

Ingredients:

• ripe melon pulp – 2 kg;
• medium pineapple weighing up to 1 kg;
• sugar – 0.5 kg;
• vinegar (9%) – 150 ml;
• cloves - about 10 pcs.;
• water (filtered) – 1.5 l.

Melon is prepared as standard. The pineapple is peeled and, after removing the middle, cut into the same pieces as the sweet vegetable.

The process of preparing pineapple mixture for the winter based on one liter jar:

1. Place 2 clove buds, chopped melon and pineapple in each container, maintaining a ratio of approximately 3:1.
2. Boil the syrup by adding vinegar and sugar to the water. Warm up the composition after boiling for no more than 2 minutes.
3. Boiling sweet and sour solution is poured into jars. Place covers on them.
4. Pasteurize the jars for about 15 minutes.

The processed seams are hermetically sealed, installed upside down, covered, and wait to cool. Thanks to vinegar and pasteurization, canned food is well preserved at room temperature until mid-winter.

With honey

A good, ripe melon has a strong aroma, which is perfectly complemented by the taste of natural honey. The spices in the recipe enhance the warming effect and give the pineapple-flavored dessert even more exotic shades. In any given recipe, half of the sugar can be replaced with a sweet bee product.

Ingredients for the honey recipe:

• medium melons (up to 1.5 kg) – 2 pcs.;
• liquid honey (preferably flower honey) – 150 g;
• granulated sugar – 150 g;
• vinegar (9%) – 1 glass;
• cinnamon, cloves, allspice to taste.

The process of preparing melon with honey and pineapple flavor:

1. Mix water, honey, sugar and spices in a cooking container. Bring the mixture to a boil.
2. Melon cubes are carefully mixed into the bubbling syrup. At the slowest heating, keep the workpiece on the fire for another 10 minutes.
3. At the end of cooking, add vinegar. Stir the solution and immediately remove the container from the heat.
4. Chopped vegetables, placed in jars, are poured with hot marinade.

Sterilization, for better preservation in winter, can be carried out in the oven at a temperature of + 100 °C for 10 minutes.Sealed jars are stored in a cool place for no longer than 6 months.

Terms and conditions of storage

If you follow the preservation rules, melon will retain its taste and beneficial properties for up to 6 months. Closer to 9 months of storage, the preparations lose their pineapple flavor.

To preserve desserts in jars in winter, place them in a dark, cool place, protecting them from direct sunlight. The optimal storage temperature for pineapples made from melon is + 10-15 °C. In an ordinary apartment, only pasteurized desserts in sterilized jars are left. At temperatures above + 20 °C the shelf life is significantly reduced.

It is not recommended to keep melon or pineapple preparations at sub-zero temperatures. A thawed product does not retain its characteristic consistency and taste.

Conclusion

Melon for the winter in jars, like pineapple, has many cooking options, acquiring exotic shades of aroma when adding different spices. Even novice cooks can preserve a sweet vegetable for the winter. The simple composition of the recipes and strict adherence to the rules always guarantees a successful result, and your favorite spices will give the dessert a new sound.

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